The Republican journal., 1887-09-15
Maine Superstitions.

Maine Superstitions.
QUEER PEOPLE AROUND SEBACo I.lkE. OLD
MRS CASH AND HER WHITE BULL.
We rcroilcct several year, since while teach
in2 in one of the towns bordering on the great
s'ehago lake, we chance! f. TALL in with an Old
fashioned couple with large family of cl.il-
,rcn all after their own hearts. They were
ever ready to swallow at ht all ll!o marvel
iou> stories ailoat, tales Of sho>t>. turrwarn-
iE-sS. Witehcraft. nccromalny or whatever came
along. No one ever cut his finger nails on SUE
day, fearing that he might do something TO he
ashamed of before the week had expired. If
lie combcl his hair after dark it made him for
@ettul If looking glass chanccu to be broken
a death must occur in the family; if onIy
cracked, it forctold sickness. and so Oh nd H.
HaitNn.
Many a long winter evening have we been
Obliged to sit and listen To their marvellous
stories which We're most firmly believed by the
entire group. On one occasion we. in Il very
gentle manner, vcntlircd to express cur >crt-
pies as to the probability of some of their oft
told tales.
why" said big. overgrown lad with
huge Iuid OF spruce gum between his Jaws.
'l>nt God able to do it: Don't You DENY the
power of God; if You do you are not fl. to Keel,
SCnool Itft iiiltt we ttOn want We.
This town. from its earliest settlement, seems
to have been very fertile with people of this
'le>"ri ptlon. We remember. " hen Il very SMinli
lad. an old lady named Cash. who, for many
Years. was supposed to possess what was at
that time termed familiar spirit. She was
SIM r-heart",'. eccentric Old creature owning
small hut and ioNcI. together with farm Icf.
i.or 10y her deceased husband. Beng uf Il >ta!-
wart frame and iron constitution. She managed
TO do most of her out door work after her fash
ion, aud live quite comfortably, that is, for
those times.
She kept but one animal Il >tunleA and mis-
>haren bull. Ia color this creature was SHOW
white, with Il prod@iotlS pair of lIuiiis. With
this beast She did all her farm work. hauled
her wood. and twice cach year when to Port
land to market her produce and set supplies.
The bull and hS mistress We're household
words and the hu!t of every yulgar iner lor
many years.
1t used to be affirmed hy some of the young
>ter> that Just bcfor" >t1rn OF hurricane tAcl
had often seen the OH lady seated on the wliic
bull. SaiiiG anon ih@ eouS. II q n>rhieV
Gus hrelin@ rode his n@atrl's f;,yorte horse to
Il distant fro,ic and the beast was found to We
Jaed and lame afterwards, OLD aunt Cash was
sure to he called il question.
If amy ones oxen refused hay OF Tie COWS
gave bloody milk. the cat cut lip strange antc,
or the hens mumpcd about, tlr old witch must
bear the blame. But she seemed rather to en-
JOY this rs She held quite Il power over the
greater portion of her t0Wn>pcople through
fear of her supernatural power. while the less
credulous enjoyed and helped on the sport.
The bull died. however. at the advanced ace
of eighteen years, whether from disease. lack
of food or teeth to masticate it, we are unable
to state. The mistress soon followed as the
death of the beast seemed to deprive her of her
only chance Of living. Thus was the cretlulouS
public ril OF an Object of hatred and dread.
while the fun loving youngsters We're deprived
of their chief source Of fun and enjoyment.
In those days the military spirit ran h4h
The clarion tones of the buglc, the roll of the
drum. the prancing OF richly caparisoncd >tccc,s
the nodtling of plunc~ aud the dcel-tonetl and
reremptory word of command seemed to in
>pirc every American with an ar,lor and enthu-
si:i>n entirely unknown to people of this ,say.
One or more military companies We're oreaniI-
cd in every town. Drills or trainings. as they
We're then called. were held several time, each
season, besides the general muster every Orto-
Der. This. together with the glorious Fourth
OF July. constituted the principal holidays. ON
these occasions New Engan, rum was dspens-
Ell freely hy the officers. The result hcin. gen-
orally Il wrestling match. then a ti.ht. and to
wind up. Il reconciliation.
In this >elt-Sitme town. on one of these
ca>ons, Il choice of officers was held, the newly
elected aSpirant> treated bountifuliv. the usual
wre>tlc, fight and reconciliation We're cone
through with, the company was dismissed and
started for home feeling first-clasS. On their
way home they chanced to pass the abode of I'M
ancient couple who, with their idiotc daughter,
had lived for many wears in a very secluded
and primitive manner, not having much 10 say
or do with the outside world. They were pret-
~ well imbucd with the then popular super
Sttions of the day, afraid of ghosts. witches.
guns and fire, but extremely fond OF cats. Of
which they possessed goody number
Now, at that day. almost every dwelling was
furnished with small, round aperture near
the outside door for the accommodation of eats
NS If nf -.,l
abode, one of their number proposed to bonn
bard the castle.
No. said the orderly sergeant. lets de-
nand Il surrender first
The officer ordered the color> to be fastened
II the garden gate and the company to form a
circle. Each soldier was furnished with
round Of blank cartridges, and each sol,lier with
fixed bayonct stood like Il statue awaiting the
word of command. The orderly now stepped
to a front window and with drawn sword in
hand demanded the unconditional surrender of
that fort or they would be blown to atoms
The poor occupants were fairly paralyzcd with
fear, suppoSing, as they said, the British had
come, consequently the demand received no re-
ply
'as they are sulIen and defiant we can do no
less than to carry by STORM" He then. in Il
loud voice, ordered the music to sound. The
fife and drum struck up quick march.
The next order came, "march and counter
mar on bN SillSlC me, iUdu anu IIFc 1T Will.
The phaanX moved with IL measured and
heavy tread, each one ~ he passed the port
hole, as they called il, inserting the muzze of
his musket and blazing away. The dwelling
was aoon filled with densc cloud of smoke 50
compact as to enable one to cat it in junks
with cheese knife to be thrown from The
window.
The seven eats with cars laid back. eyes half
closed and tails expanded. quickly scrambled UP
the chimney tluc, splitting and yawling forth
their indignation in most dismal tones. The old
lady crawlea under the bed where she lay in Il
hysterie fit. the girl fell down cellar and crawl
ell into the potato pen, while the father jumped
from window and fed to the nearest neigh
bors.
For this crime the mnn were arrested and
brought before Square Dingley. The old lady
testified that she scraped up a whole sieve full
of powder and shot fired into the entry. This
sounded like a whopper, but tie men were con-
yicted, however, and fined to the extent of the
law, we think twenty dollars each aud costs